In the background of a photograph of the Pinkneys Green Scout Group (ref. DEX2330/10/4/1) taken in 1909 are two figures. They are identified as being "Mrs del Riego and Teresa del Riego (Mrs Leadbitter)". Whilst not the focus of the photograph itself, research into the latter of these figures has revealed the fascinating life of a noted composer and musician.
Teresa Clotilde del Riego was born in 1876 in Marylebone, London to Miguel del Riego, a chronometer manufacturer and naturalised British subject originally from Spain, and Clara Lizzie del Riego from Devon. Her elder sister was Agnes Manuela Teresa del Riego, (possibly) the first female scoutmaster, and founder of the Women Signallers Territorial Corps in 1914, whilst her brother was the actor John Anthony del Riego (stage name Philip Desborough).
The family moved to Berkshire sometime in the late 19th century, although the actual date is not known. They were definitely in Berkshire by 1901 as the census shows the whole del Riego family living on Cookham Road, Maidenhead. By this time Teresa was already becoming a noted musician and composer. In May 1896 she had performed at an event held at Henley Town Hall hosted by the Mayor and Mayoress in honour of the Oxfordshire Agricultural Show. Her performance included singing, playing the violin, and a piano-forte solo. She had studied all three of these things, along with composition, in London and Paris, and held Trinity College Certificates for them all.
She is known to have been composing throughout her teenage years and her version of ‘Ave Maria’ was written when she was fifteen years old. She even had a song performed at the Proms in 1899 when she was 23. However, the song that is regarded as her biggest success (also written when she was 15) was not published until in 1901. Entitled ‘O Dry Those Tears’, 30,000 copies of the work were reportedly sold within 8 weeks, and it was translated into many different languages.
This was the beginning of a period of success for Teresa. She published many more works which were featured at Proms concerts every season between 1901 and 1926. She gave concerts herself, including one on 19 May 1903 which was reviewed in the London Evening Standard. It described her as being “one of the most successful” female composers of the time. “Her songs all contain pleasing refrains, wedded to effective accompaniments; while many dainty touches lend to them a distinction which, though perhaps, not making for any deep impressions, catch the ear and please the fancy” (London Evening Standard, Wednesday 20 May 1903, p.5). She also gave concerts in aid of various causes including the Scouts and for the War Fund during both the First and Second World Wars.
Her personal life also flourished as she married Francis John Leadbitter in 1908 and gave birth to their son, Jasper Michael Leadbitter, in 1912. Whilst the Leadbitter family lived in London, Teresa clearly still had strong connections with her family back in Berkshire as she can be seen in the background of the photograph of her sister Agnes del Riego and her Scout Group at Pinkneys Green in 1909.
Teresa also appears to have been concerned with issues of the day. In 1911, a new Suffrage National Anthem was published. It was called ‘The Awakening’ with words written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox and music composed by Teresa del Riego. This song is evidence of Teresa’s involvement in the Votes for Women movement. It is therefore very fitting that Teresa was one of the first women to receive the vote as she appears on the Electoral Register in 1918 living at 26 Wellington Road, Marylebone, London.
By this time Teresa was sadly a widow as her husband had been killed in action in March 1917 whilst serving with the 11th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps. From at least 1921 onwards, she appears to have lived with her brother, John. In 1926 they moved back to White Cottage, Pinkneys Green where they stayed until 1931. They then moved to Norfolk, where they would remain, apart from various trips abroad, until their deaths - Teresa herself died 23/01/1968. All three siblings are buried near each other in St Martin’s Churchyard, Overstrand, Norfolk.
Teresa del Riego was regarded as one of the best female composers of her generation and wrote over 300 ballads and sacred songs including Homing, Thank God for a Garden, The Unknown Warrior, and The King’s Song, sung at the Coronation Concert of Edward VII in 1902. Yet despite this success, tastes and styles have changed over the years and her work has largely been forgotten. In September 2024, BBC Radio 3 broadcast a new recording of her Suffrage anthem, The ‘Awakening’ as part of their ‘Music Rediscovered’ series. You can listen to it online on the BBC website. Perhaps this is the start of her works being rediscovered more generally and a reminder of the stories that can be found even in the background of photographs.
Discover more about Teresa's sister, Agnes del Riego, in our other blog.